Up You Go, Little Duck
by shedoesntbelieveinlove
Summary: A short fic of what takes place at home while Katniss is away during the 74th Hunger Games, and when she finally comes back to 12; explores the brother/sister relationship between Prim and Gale, since I think it could have been explored so much more.


The morning the train was due back, Prim was awake at the crack of dawn.

She had had a restless night, tossing and turning in anticipation of her sister's arrival. How she had longed for this day; how she had prayed for it, wished for it, and hoped for it. The weeks of Katniss' absence had been spent only thinking of her. During school or while she was meant to be sleeping, she was worried sick, afraid her sister might have died during her lessons or while she lied awake in bed. A routine had risen, though, despite the unsettling circumstances.

Each morning, Gale, Rory, and Vick walked past the Everdeen's home, and one of the younger two boys would hop up the creaky wooden steps to alert Prim to their arrival. Together, the four of them would walk to school. Gale went out to hunt each evening to catch some squirrels or rabbits, which he would use to trade for few loaves of bread from the Mellark's bakery. It was one of these loaves of bread that the group of children would feast on for breakfast, except for Gale, of course. Although Prim takes care to slice up the loaf into four equal sections, the older boy always gave his portion to the tribute's sister, refusing to take even a bite of his prize.

It was undeniable that, while Gale took good care of the boys, he took extra care of Prim. He would wordlessly take her book bag from her shoulder, carrying it all the way to her classroom door for her; he would bring her two warm slices of bread, a precious sliver of meat, and a small, bright red apple for lunch, which he paid for by trading away the kills he made by evening.

After lessons were through, Gale would collect her, Rory, and Vick from their respective classrooms, and the little family would make their way home quickly, often running back to the Hawthorne's. There, the three school children, and Gale's youngest sibling, Posy, plopped onto the threadbare sofa anxiously, immediately tuning in to the Games without a word. They would watch the Games in silence, Hazelle's children would- along with the older daughter she never had, Prim. The projector would cast the brutal images onto the walls of the house, and after the daily recap, Gale would send Vick and Posy out to play. They had no need to see the bloodshed and violence that took place, not at their ages.

It was then that Gale himself would leave the house, holding all but one of the people he loved, and go to the woods. It was strange walking through the foliage without Katniss close behind or leading the way, similar to walking through a house without its inhabitants within. Nevertheless, Gale wandered the forest each evening, bringing down squirrels, rabbits, and a handful of birds.

Once he had collected game ample enough to trade for the night's dinner, and the morrow's lunch, he would make the walk back into town and complete his rounds at the Hob, bartering away the meat for various goods. He always saved a pair of squirrels for the baker, though- he brought Mr. Mellark a set each evening, for which he would receive two loaves of bread to take home to the family.

At home, Gale gave the groceries to his mother. Hazelle would prepare them for the family's dinner, and Gale would finally settle onto the couch beside his siblings to watch the Games.

He hated that he watched them. It only gave the Capitol power. But what else could he do?

Prim often shook while she watched them. Her lip would quiver constantly, and she always seemed to be on the verge of tears. Gale hated to see her like this, too. As the night grew older, she would curl up next to him, and his arm would settle around her tiny frame, drawing her closer to him. At the same time, he would usually hold Posy in between the two, the younger girl preferring to fall asleep in the warmth Gale offered. Prim would never admit how she held onto Gale's hand while she watched her sister go through hell and high water on screen, and Gale would never admit how he clung to her as if she might fall to pieces if he let go. That was how they fell asleep, most nights- Gale holding Prim and Posy in his arms, watching the Games in the midst of silent prayers that Katniss would return to them. He would remain awake the longest, of course. Posy was the first to doze off, and Prim would follow suit the moment the day's dead tributes were announced in the sky of the arena. Here, in the flickering firelight of the Hawthorne's home, her head nestled in Gale's shoulder and her hand resting on Posy's smaller one- here was the only place Prim could fall asleep during her sister's absence. Gale was no Katniss; he would not sing to her when she awoke in the night, screaming for her sister or father to run. But he was the brother she could not claim by blood. He was her safety, her protector, and her provider.

Long after Prim had fallen asleep and the Games had finished for the day, Gale would gently rise up, careful not to awaken either of his younger sisters. He would hand Posy off to Hazelle, still awake thanks to her work, and then he would lift Prim up into his arms. Gale would carry her, half-asleep, all the way back to the Everdeen's home, her thin form gripping him tightly even in her sleep. He would lay her down once more, into her own bed, and pull the blankets over the small girl, taking care to envelop her with quilts to ensure her warmth. And with that, he would finally return to his own home, to fall into a restless sleep for a handful of hours before he was called to rise again, beginning the routine all over again.

But today, Prim knew that when Gale, Rory, and Vick came knocking, it would not be to take her to another day of agonizing lessons. It was this fact that sped her along in her own daily preparations; her fingers flew through her hair and her arms pulled her best clothing over her quickly. As she tucked her shirt tail into her skirt, a rap came at the door, just as it had each morning for the past few weeks. Prim opened it to reveal the familiar faces of the Hawthorne boys, and she smiled slightly at their arrival.

"Ready?" Vick asks her, tilting his head and matching her smile.

"I've been ready since she left," Prim answers, nodding. After a moment of hesitation, she takes the younger boy's hand in her own, and Rory follows suit, clasping her other hand in his. Although none of the children are ones for sentiment, it only seems fitting today.

"You look really pretty," Rory says quietly, just barely daring to look into Prim's eyes as he speaks to her. Prim blushes a light pink and thanks him softly, and Gale smiles at the sight in spite of himself.

The three intertwined children walk ahead of him, their steps rapid and hurried. "C'mon!" Vick exclaims, his voice eager and loud. "We gotta get there so we can see Katniss!" his grubby ten year old hands tug on Prim's impatiently, and Prim laughs lightly. At his words, the group picks up speed, and Gale begins a brisk walk in order to keep up. In a matter of minutes, they have arrived at the station; they are not the first, despite all their efforts. A crowd has already gathered, and while Rory and Vick manage to see, Prim cannot. The eleven year old cranes her neck, desperately trying to see the coming train, and out of the corner of his eye, Gale sees her struggling to look over the heads of the adults crowding the station. He taps her shoulder gently, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

"Need a hand?" he asks, a teasing glint in his eyes. Prim nods gratefully, and Gale carefully places both his hands on her stomach before lifting her up onto his shoulders. "Up you go, little duck," he says, looking up at her with a sort of laughter present in his glance. Prim squeezes his shoulder briefly. A silent thanks to Gale.

Seconds later, the train seems to materialize on the tracks. "There she is!" Prim exclaims excitedly, and the two younger Hawthorne boys whoop and holler underneath her. The train door slides open, and through the throng of cameramen and crew members, Gale spots Katniss, who quickly centers herself on the station platform. He sees her eyes search the crowd, and when she finds Prim boosted over the commotion, and Gale and his brothers immediately below, her lips break into a smile. A genuine smile; the first of its kind that Gale has seen outside of the confines of the forest.

"There she is, alright," Gale agrees with Prim, one hand rising to wave to Katniss in return. "Our girl on fire's come home."


End file.
